Research published in Science challenges the long-held assumption that babies’ brains are too immature to form lasting memories until age 3 or 4. A groundbreaking imaging study shows that infants as young as 12 months old can create memories that last for at least a few minutes. The study used a baby-friendly functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) setup, which allowed researchers to monitor brain activity in real-time while the children completed memory tests.
Twenty-six children aged 4-25 months viewed a series of faces, objects, and scenes while being scanned. After viewing these images again along with new ones, the researchers observed a relationship between brain activity in the hippocampus and the ability to recall familiar images. The study’s findings suggest that babies’ brains are capable of forming memories at a young age, contrary to previous assumptions.
The research team, led by Yale University neuroscientist Nicholas Turk-Browne, notes that while the study provides insight into infantile amnesia, further research is needed to determine how long the hippocampus can store episodic memories and whether some mechanism prevents them from accessing these memories later. The team plans to continue studying infant memory development over time using weekly video recordings of babies’ experiences.
The study’s results have sparked excitement among child psychologists, who argue that it sheds light on a previously underexplored aspect of human cognition. While the work does not completely solve the mystery of infantile amnesia, it provides valuable new information about the brain’s ability to form memories in infancy.
Source: https://www.science.org/content/article/pioneering-study-scans-babies-brains-they-form-memories